Tuesday, May 6, 2008

For the record, I have not quit my job. Things are actually going pretty well there right now so no complaints here. I'm actually writing this post to give a friend of mine a boost. She's unhappy in her job right now so I want to give her a preview of the euphoric joy she'll be feeling soon enough when she's outta there.

I've only been "fired" from a job once, and even then they told me the news, it was more of them "letting me go" because it was clear both parties were not happy. When they first said, "today is your last day," I thought I was going to faint. I am a planner, I always have a Plan B. They broke up with me before I could meet someone better and end it with them. So I had a good cry, was escorted out by security and drove home (still crying) to an empty house and a full liquor bar.

Before I joined my current job, I had a lot of internships and short-term positions and my last one was awful, almost rivaling the one that I was fired from. I'm not a huge crier but I would cry every day at my old job. It got so bad that my parents would come down to check on me in Chicago to make sure I was still doing things, like showering and going outside because I was so depressed. To quote myself on New Year's Eve of that year, I told my closest friends that if I was still at that job the same time the next year, they had permission to slit my throat with a broken bottle. That part I'm not exaggerating. You can ask them.

When you hate your job, like really hate it, you hate everything. Every weekday is a curse and you lie in bed thinking of reasons why you should go in and not call in sick. I've known a few people who have cried themselves to sleep because they don't want to go to work. Making it through every hour and every day is a challenge and sometimes you wonder if you really will survive.

But fortunately, there is some relief - quitting. I don't recommend doing this unless you have another job to go to or if you house can handle one income for a little bit, so there is my disclaimer. When it does come time to talk to HR and your manager, the best phrase out of your mouth will be, "I'm here to give you my two weeks notice." It might be hard to actually say when the time comes but once you do, the weight begins to lift off your shoulders. The sun shines brighter and birds chirp lovingly for you. When I quit my old job, I went out for lunch and for the first time in almost four months, I smiled like I meant it.

People who know how unhappy you are, they congratulate you and take you out to get drunk and start spending the new raise in salary. And you feel like things will finally get better because they will.

Now you all might think that this is overdramatic and that I'm too "committed" to my job, making it my "life," and to some extent, you're right. But at the age that me and some of my friends are at, we're still putting in our time and having to tolerate things we normally wouldn't want to. The work/life balance bit isn't easy and I'm still trying to figure it out too. But fortunately the people I work with are good about it so I don't mind going above and beyond at times.

I don't plan on quitting my job anytime soon and hopefully they don't want to break up with me either but whenever someone asks me about their job troubles and when you know it's time to quit, I can only tell them my story and say, "you really know when enough is enough. You really can feel it in your heart."

12 comments:

yea i had finally gotten up the courage to quit the spa and right before i put in my notice i was laid off from the "job of my dreams" which is a good thing because my old roomate (we're nolonger friends) still works there. and so i found another job, that wasn't perfect but it was something and i was happy there for the first few weeks and finally put in my notice at the spa (say goodbye to working weekend nights and 7 days a week for 2 years) and then got into a screaming argument with the only job i got's owner and quit there and ended up going back to the spa which I hate after a week because i was scared i wouldn't find anything else, which is a good thing i went back cuz i havn't found anything else.

now i'm trying to find something else and quit the spa once and for all. i honestly hate working weekend nights but i can't afford to not work there. atleast i'm getting xtra hours in accounting 2 days a week but it's a f*cked up schedule... i have working there now. i don't know if i'm coming or going or what.

I think you should add a bit about how no matter how much you really really hate a job, and no matter how much you really really want to tell them off or yell or whatever when you finally do leave, DON'T do it! I refer to the incident with the guy in my office where everyone was good with him leaving and ready to give him recommendations etc. and then in the last five minutes he was here he ended up screaming obscenities at the boss. it may have felt good but probably not a good idea!

oh god thank you for posting this. i've been at my wits end all week!!!! (and it's only wednesday? perfect.)

I'm glad I got to break up with my company instead of the other way around! And I totally relate to all the things you said in here. I've called off so many times and just laid in bed knowing I'll be late but not caring, because I lacked the drive to physically remove myself from bed because I hated my job so much.

Third time drafting a response to this should be the charm. For those concerned that they’re loosing Jessica as a colleague, it's me not her.

It’s amazing at a time where you feel like you’re in a corner, that the place where you spend the majority of your waking hours makes you cry on a near daily basis—not to mention make you an insomniac and gives near constant stomach aches---that those closest to you are your loudest cheerleaders at the most unexpected places. Thanks Jess for reminding me that the birds will chirp soon enough, and that there may be a celebratory purchase in the next few months. Hey Internet: I’ve got the same background and degree as Jess—so if you know of something she knows how to find me! :)

I've disliked jobs, but I can't say I've ever hated one. I don't really like my current one, but I do enjoy the money.

I worked at a newspaper for my last job. I wrote obituaries, among other things. My boss was a douche. He was one of those guys who thought he was funny but really wasn't. One day he wrote my obituary in an attempt to be cruel but funny. It wasn't funny.

I was so happy the day I left because I pretty much ran the place. He did very little for being the editor. A few days after I quit he called to ask where something was and I lied and said I didn't know. Ha to you Mr. Ass Face!

I've always had a really hard time quitting anything because I feel like such a failure, but, just like you, I was crying every day at my old job. Finally my boyfriend made me start looking for another job, he couldn't handle it anymore. My job now isn't the greatest - but I'm not crying so BIG improvement there.

Comments - What a bunch of losers. If you don't like your jobs -- why even apply for the job? They pay you to do work. Just do your work. If you don't like it -- stop taking up space -- there is surely someone else who would love to do the work.

The real problem is that you all have no clue what you want in life and you blame your current job for your inability to figure it out. You don't need a new job -- you all need a therapist.

Sometimes you get sold on a job that you think is going to be "amazing" and then after you take it turns out to be a nightmarish abusive relationship. A truly horrible job is much different then a job you just don't like. If you feel each day of your life sucks and the next day is even worse its time to quit. Take a leap of faith and trust you will find something better.

Who's that girl?

Jessica. 20-something blogger/young professional in Chicago. I love shopping, movies, pop culture and purses. I do love purses. This blog is a random sampling of my life in the city so hold on tight and enjoy the adventure :)

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Anything mentioned on my blog, The Everyday Adventures of Me in the City, is purely my point of view and may not be the point of view of those reading this blog or who are mentioned within. If you have a concern or comment about what I write here, you are encouraged to comment in the relevant posts or e-mail me offline to discuss more. This blog is not a full representation of me as a person and is not ill-intentioned or directed harshly at any one person or group in particular.